converting existing outlines to notebook view

[Sandra Gulland]

I have hundreds of pages of research notes, all in Word outline
format. I'd like to convert these to the Notebook format, but I loose
all my levels when I do so. Is there a way of converting without
starting back at square one?

I'm in the process of evaluating Notebook software generally. How does
the Notebook feature in Word differ from NoteTaker (AquaMinds) or
NoteBook (CircusPonies)?

 

[matt neuburg]

I have hundreds of pages of research notes, all in Word outline
format. I'd like to convert these to the Notebook format, but I loose
all my levels when I do so. Is there a way of converting without
starting back at square one?

The problem is that there is no interrelationship between Notebook view
and a normal Word document. You've probably used Heading 1, Heading 2,
and so forth as your outline levels, but the Notebook view uses Note
Level 1, Note Level 2, and so on. You could do a series of global
find-and-replace and convert them all, I suppose, but really you're
trying to do something that was never intended. Word's outline feature
was never meant to let Word function as an outliner; it was meant to
present you with an outline view of the structure of a normal document.
The way to do outlines on the Mac is with a real outliner.

I'm in the process of evaluating Notebook software generally. How does
the Notebook feature in Word differ from NoteTaker (AquaMinds) or
NoteBook (CircusPonies)?

I have written extensively in TidBITS for a dozen years about outliners
on the Mac. We've reviewed them all, including the two that you mention.
It's all online, so please read. Nothing replaces experience, though.
Remember, the important thing is to find something you're comfortable
with. Personally I use NoteTaker, and now TAO; but nothing beats MORE,
even though it is not Mac OS X-native. However, you'll find out all
about that when you read the articles. m.